Report: Officer warns Lebanese unrest could spread

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Lebanon's army commander warned the government that the daily protests and riots might get out of control, several newspaper reported Tuesday, as the authorities reported another night of unrest in the capital. The comments of Gen. Michel Suleiman showed that the military was concerned that the political crisis between the pro-Western, Sunni Muslim prime minister and the pro-Syrian, Shi'ite Muslim-led opposition was approaching dangerous levels. Thousands of troops are deployed across the capital where, since Friday, the Hizbullah-led opposition has been convening daily demonstrations to topple the government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora. Large crowds were expected later Tuesday at the funeral of a Shi'ite Muslim youth, Ahmed Mahmoud, 21, who was shot dead in street clashes in the Beirut district of Qasqas on Sunday. Further clashes took place in the nearby neighborhood of Tarik Jedideh on Monday night, when two people were wounded, police said.